Slides For Playgrounds - Safety Tips Required!
Safety and enjoyment are two major elements accessed when planning playgrounds. Proper planning from parents or the playground owner can prevent unwanted accidents. Hundreds of thousands of accidents occur every year on playgrounds. Many of these injuries can be prevented or injuries lessened with better management of the equipment and surroundings. Proper planning, design, and manufacturing are key components of playground safety.
Children are attracted towards high slides. Some slides can reach over 10 feet in the air. The ride down is fun only if it is in the slide. However, reckless behavior and a lack of understanding dangers can result in injuries. Parents and teachers should instruct children with minimal guidelines of safety before playing on slides. Most accidents occur on the trip up to the slide, not the slide down. Running when wet, pushing, shoving, and general bad behavior most often results in injuries. Quality of play equipment rarely has an effect on injuries.
When searching for slide equipment choose heavy-duty designs made of plastic or steel. Most slides offered for playground use undergo strict testing before being released for sale. Although playground designs often strive to be aesthetically pleasing, safety and enjoyment is important to manufacturers. The smallest details are addressed from the width and length of the slide to the angle of descent.
Recent studies show that playgrounds are important for a child’s cognitive, physical, emotional, as well as social development. For development of these abilities, the use of playground equipment is encouraged. Slides suit almost all ages of children and are one of the most recognizable features of playgrounds. Generally, the slides in public playgrounds are made of composite materials such as plastic and metal. Often the only difference between a commercial slide and a residential one is a small amount of plastic on the underside.
Playground slides come in various colors, sizes, and shapes. The most basic commercial play structures include a plastic slide with a smooth slope and a climbing ladder. Remember when planning a playground slide to not forget a soft landing surface. To prevent children from falling over, elevated platforms for accessing slides are generally enclosed by safety rails. With limited planning and knowledge, slides can provide fun and bring enjoyment to playgrounds.
